Prayerful Path

Today was one of our first full sunny days. Sunny but blessed with lots of clouds and cool breezes. Still it made for a long day into Logrono. Those last few kms are always a killer.Your body is tired and your brain knows it is close. So guess what, the body aches a little more than usual. For me, the most mental part of the day is those last few kms.

So here we were, about 4 kms outside of Logrono. Luca who was walking with us and from Argentina, decided to start calling Albergues to make a reservation because it was getting late in the day. Due to the number of pilgrims on the path nowadays, it doesn't hurt to make a reservation. This is when I learned that some Albergues take reservations.

As we continued walking in the late afternoon with the sun beating down on us at this point, we were all ready for a shower and a bed. We kept hearing Luca say, "Ok, Gracias" each time you could hear the disappointment in his voice. He kept trying one right after another. Only to find out that every Albergue and some of the smaller Hotels were booked for the night. We then realized it was a Saturday, this big town had a lot going on this weekend, and this town had no rooms. After walking for seven days, we had picked up our own little pilgrim family. There were eight of us. Which made it even harder to find a reservation, but you know what? We never thought of splitting up, we were a family and we were going to do this together!

We walked into Logrono with tired feet and a weary heart. We stayed positive and headed to the Church. We all had heard, when there are no beds, go to the church.

I will never forget the moment we knocked on that door. We were tired, hot, sleepy, thirsty, hungry and just wore out. I remember looking at the gentleman when he opened the door, we probably had desperation in our eyes. I believe I even held my hands in a prayerful manner as we asked if they had a bed. He said, "he wasn't sure he had 8 beds, but some could sleep on mats." He then said, "come on in and relax, while we see what we can do" He led us into a room, I think I floated into it.

I didn't care if we had to wait, it was air conditioned with chairs. We sat, took our shoes off and some of us even headed to the showers.

​I remember sitting there and saying a short prayer. After about 30 mins, the gentleman came into the room and said he had 6 beds and they could put two of us on mats. We had are own little celebration. Now for the big surprise, the cost. Nothing! Donation only! It also included a community dinner, breakfast and a private prayer service in the church after dinner. It was absolutely perfect, we couldn't ask for more.

We were fed an amazing dinner of Paella. We ate as a family, shared where we were from, and sang a song for prayer "Ultreria"

Ultreïa (French)Tous les matins nous prenons le Chemin,tous les matins nous allons plus loin,jour après jour la route nous appelle,c’est la voix de Compostelle!Chorus:Ultreïa! Ultreïa! Et sus eia!Deus adjuva nos!Chemin de terre et Chemin de foi,voie millénaire de l’Europe,la voie lactée de Charlemagne,c’est le Chemin de tous les jacquets!Et tout là-bas au bout du continent,Messire Jacques nous attend,Depuis toujours son sourire fixeLe soleil qui meurt au Finisterre.Ultreïa (English)​(I can’t guarantee the complete accuracy of this translation, but it’s more or less correct, if very unpoetic.)Every morning we take the Camino,Every morning we go farther,Day after day the route calls us,It’s the voice of [Santiago de] Compostela!Chorus:Onward! Onward! And upward!God assist us!Way of earth and way of faith,Ancient road of Europe,The Milky Way of Charlemagne,It’s the Chemin of all the Santiago pilgrims!And over there at the end of the continent,Santiago waits for us,His smile always fixedOn the sun that dies at Finisterre.

​After dinner, we gathered in the choir seats of the church for our prayer service. They handed out prayers in all different languages. We each took a turn saying a prayer in our own language. This community of the church was overwhelming. To hear all the prayers said in all the different languages, English, Spanish, German, Italian, Korean and even more! It was beautiful.

Tears of joy were definitely streaming down my face and many others!

​After prayer it was time to clean up the kitchen and head to bed. We all took turns washing and drying. When one was washing, we formed a massage line. Everyone was getting their shoulders massaged! We all learned who gave the best massages.

​Here again, the Camino has reminded me to always trust in Our Lord. He always takes care of us. Jesus, I trust in you!

Even when we didn't think there was a bed for our head, all we could do was walk. Moment by moment, step by step we made our way into Logrono. Praying every step of the way, trusting that all will be well. Not only was it well, it was beautiful.

So let us remember, when its looking like the path is getting difficult.

By: Kathleen AparoToday you and I share something miraculous.Because today you and I are here, sharing our moment in time.Is it not a miracle that you and I are togetheron this planet, now, this minute, this day?Just think,in the millions of years that have passedwe were yet to be…

And in the millions of years aheadwe will have already been.But right now, in all of timethroughout the universewe are together...Quick, lets join hands,dance a celebration,and sing an alleluia.I am here for youand you for me.God has made it so.

Look here, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.’How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog–it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.’Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.” (James 4:13-16, NLT).I recently heard of a study involving the top CEOs of the biggest companies in the world, and one common theme was apparent.When interviewed, the majority of them said something like this: “If I could do it all over again, I would take time to stop and smell the roses. I would take more walks with my spouse. I wouldn’t be so stressed and uptight. I would slow down and enjoy the journey more.”This intrigued me, as I am also very career-driven and goal-oriented, so I researched this topic a bit more and stumbled upon an article about Bronnie Ware, author of The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing. Ware, who cared for those who were nearing the end of their lives, wrote: “All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.”After pondering, processing and praying about all of this, I’ve come to this conclusion–being driven is a good thing, as long as you take time to enjoy the journey in all of your “driven-ness.”That’s how we should live life.We shouldn’t be so consumed with our goals in life that we miss the privilege of living. It’s important that we take time today and every day to appreciate the people and the blessings that God has given us.If we don’t, when we finally reach our goals, after neglecting our friends and family along the way, we’ll have no one to celebrate with us. Or, we will have worked so hard and so long to accomplish our goals, that we’ll be too tired or in too poor health to savor that success.

We really can have it all, if we do it God’s way. Allow Him to prioritize your life and direct your steps. And, don’t be in too much of a hurry to bask in the beauty of the moment.Every day is a gift, so treat it as such. Then, when we get to the end of our lives, we won’t have any regrets, only sweet memories of a life filled with love, laughter, success and satisfaction.Here are 10 things you should take time to do in the near future:1) Read a book to a special child in your life.2) Slow dance with your significant other.3) Watch the sun set, and thank God for painting the sky so beautifully.4) Take your dog for a walk.5) Visit or call your parents just to say you love them. (If your parents have already passed, then visit an elderly aunt or uncle.)6) Stop by your best friend’s house with her favorite Starbucks concoction and share a few moments of cappuccino and conversation.7) Put on some worship music and praise the Lord at the top of your lungs.8) Go to that community concert that you’re always too busy for…you know you’re going to love it!9) Look up into the night sky and find the various constellations, and then thank God for His handiwork.10) Do something silly and fun with your family like have a picnic in your living room or have pancakes for dinner or wear your PJs all day on Saturday while having a movie marathon.Pray this with me:

Father, I am thankful for the reminder that every day is a gift. Help me to not get so caught up in the busyness of life that I forget to enjoy living and appreciating all of the blessings You have given me.And, Lord, please prioritize my life so that I will achieve the dreams You have placed in my heart while still enjoying the journey. In the precious Name of Your Son, Jesus, Amen.Source: http://www.guideposts.org/blogs/deadlines-grocery-lines-laugh-lines/enjoy-the-journey

A book that for many years has been voted a must-read by spiritual directors is Jean-Pierre de Caussade’s Abandonment to Divine Providence. De Caussade was a 17th century Jesuit in France. I’d like to share some of my favorite quotes from this book.“Every moment we live through is like an ambassador that declares the will of God to us.” There is no more infallible way to seek the will of God than moment by moment to see that what this moment offers me is the grace of God. If we did nothing more than that, de Cassaude says, we would attain the highest levels of transformation. Everything in life is to be welcomed as somehow the expression of the will of God. Your reaction to whatever happens has to be “as if” it were the will of God, or you can’t respond to it graciously. De Caussade writes, “We must accept what we very often cannot avoid, and endure with love and resignation things which could cause us weariness and disgust. This is what it means to be holy.” I think all of us shrink from his challenge because we know we can’t do it on our own. We only succeed by God’s grace now and then.De Caussade says, “True mystics seek the real; we seek the ephemeral. They want God as God is; we want God as we imagine or would like God to be.” The greatest ally of God is what is. God can always work with what is. That is why there can be no real obstacle to union with God except our own resistance. God can and will use everything, absolutely everything, even the worst things—which is the meaning of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.De Caussade continues, “We find all that is necessary in the present moment.” Perhaps a summary sentence in his teaching is this: “If we have abandoned ourselves to God, there is only one rule for us: the duty of the present moment.” “What does this moment ask of me?” is always the right question.Adapted from The Eternal Now—and how to be there!Gateway to Silence:What this moment offers is the grace of God.